United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

General Guidance for Cleaning 

and Disinfection of Rabbit 

Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 

(RHDV) Contaminated Premises

July 2020

(This document provides general 

guidance and is not to supersede 

requirements from the State Animal 

Health Official (SAHO))

Environmental Persistence of Rabbit 

Hemorrhagic Disease Calicivirus

 Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus

(RHDV) is a calicivirus which is spread 

by transmission via the oral, nasal, or 

conjunctival route; RHDVa and RHDV2 

are viral subtypes.

 Most research on viral shedding, 

environmental persistence, and 

transmission was conducted with RHDVa

but RHDV2 is assumed to have similar 

characteristics.

 The virus is present in urine, feces, and

respiratory secretions from infected 

rabbits, thus contaminated bedding can 

be a source of infection.

 Contaminated foods might be a source 

of infection, and insects, birds, and 

scavengers may transmit the virus as 

vectors.

 The virus can survive for long periods 

outside the host. For example:

o Virus may survive up to 3 months on

cloth at room temperature, and also

in infected tissue (carcasses) under

field conditions.

 Environmental temperature and 

protection by organic material are 

important factors in the survival of the 

virus.

Photo by Canva.com

Disinfectants

 RHDV is inactivated by several 

chemicals, including sodium hypochlorite 

(household bleach), 1% potassium 

peroxymonosulfate (e.g. VirkonTM S), and 

accelerated hydrogen peroxide products 

(e.g. Rescue

TM). Chemicals other than 

what are listed here may also be effective 

for disinfection against RHDV. A full list of 

products effective against emerging 

pathogens such as feline calicivirus (a 

research surrogate for RHDV) is available 

on the EPA website.

Practical Cleaning and Disinfection 

Guidelines for Animal Health Settings

NOTE: These guidelines do not necessarily 

list all commercially available disinfectant 

products within each category. Always 

follow disinfectant label instructions for 

proper use and safety, and never mix 

different types of disinfectants together. 

Disinfectant guidelines included below are 

for hard, non-porous surfaces.

Pre-Cleaning (Dry Cleaning)

 Because of the hardy nature of the virus, 

removal of all organic material (bedding, 

feces, fur, material on hutches or cages 

etc.) via scraping, brushing, sweeping or 

digging before cleaning and disinfection 

is critical for cleaning and disinfection to 

be effective.
United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

 Remove all visible debris from items 

to be disinfected (cages, hutches, 

feeding equipment, waterers, etc.).

 Remove all bedding from cages, 

hutches, or ground and safely discard 

by deep burial or double bagging in 

plastic bags, disinfecting the outer bag 

by spraying with disinfectant solution, 

and disposing of in a licensed landfill or 

as otherwise directed by your SAHO. 

Items made of wood are best burned, 

safely discarded either by deep burial, 

or by double bagging in plastic bags, 

disinfecting the outer bag by spraying 

with disinfectant solution, and disposing 

of in a licensed landfill or as otherwise 

directed by your SAHO.

 For wood that cannot be discarded, 

remove organic material and then 

clean and disinfect as instructed

below.

 Rabbit feces should be removed and 

safely discarded by deep burial or 

double bagging in plastic bags, 

disinfecting the outer bag by spraying

with the disinfectant solution and 

disposing of in a licensed landfill or as 

otherwise directed by your SAHO.

 Soil beneath rabbit hutches that 

has been contaminated with rabbit 

urine, feces, or bedding should be 

removed to a depth beyond visible 

contamination and buried.

 Any feed that has the possibility of 

being contaminated should be 

safely discarded by deep burial or 

double bagging in plastic bags, 

disinfecting the outer bag by 

spraying with disinfectant solution, 

and disposing of in a licensed 

landfill or as otherwise directed by 

your SAHO.

Cleaning and Disinfection (C&D):

 Once organic material has been 

removed by dry cleaning, wash 

items or structures thoroughly with 

soap and potable water; rinse well 

with potable water and let dry.

 Then, submerge or saturate items or

structures and spray with the proper dilution of 

one of the disinfectants as described below. 

Allow the appropriate contact time for the 

disinfectant used (5 minutes for diluted bleach 

and RescueTM or 10 minutes for 1% VirkonTM

S). Contact time means leaving the item 

saturated with disinfectant for the specified 

time. The disinfectant solution should be 

reapplied as needed to keep the surface wet 

during the entire contact time. After 

appropriate contact time has been achieved, 

rinse with potable water and let dry before 

further contact if using household bleach. If 

using VirkonTM S allow surfaces to air dry, but 

rinse waterers and feeders with potable water 

before use. If using RescueTM wipe the 

surfaces and let air dry. Always follow 

disinfectant label instructions for proper use 

and safety.

Further Virus Elimination

 After cleaning, disinfection and drying of all 

hutches, water, feed containers, other rabbit 

equipment or materials is completed, a fallow 

period during which no rabbits are introduced 

is recommended. The fallow period timeframe 

will be specified by the SAHO. 

 In situations where C&D is complicated by the 

conditions (such as large amounts of organic 

material, wooden structures, a large number of 

infected animals, etc), a minimum of a 90 day 

fallow period is recommended.

Preparation of Disinfectants: Household Bleach

 A diluted solution of sodium hypochlorite 

(household bleach) is a disinfectant 

readily available to rabbit owners. To 

prepare the minimum required dilution as 

specified on the label, add 1⁄2 cup of 6% 

or 8.25% household bleach to one gallon 

of potable water. Alternatively, a 10% 

bleach solution may be used by mixing 1 

part 6% or 8.25% household bleach with 

9 parts potable water. Contact time 

needed is 5 minutes, then rinse with cold 
United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

water and allow to air dry. Wear 

nitrile, silicon or rubber gloves and 

eye protection and work in a well 

ventilated area when mixing and 

handling the bleach or bleach 

solution. Wear protective clothing 

to avoid contact with the skin.

Bleach concentrates lose potency 

over time. 

 Be sure to store bleach 

concentrates in a cool, dark, place 

and use recently purchased bleach 

concentrates to mix solution to be 

used for disinfecting purposes. 

New dilute bleach solutions should 

be mixed every 24 hours to 

maintain effectiveness.

 Click here for information on what 

to do if you have accidental 

exposure.

Potassium Peroxymonosulfates, e.g. 

VirkonTM 

 A 1% solution is effective for 

disinfection for RHDV2. To achieve 

a 1% use dilution, add VirkonTMS 

(depending on formulation type)

mix 1 sachet or 1 VirkonTM S scoop 

(1.3 ounces of powder), or 8 

tablets, in 1 gallon of water. Stir 

thoroughly until fully dissolved, then 

use per label. Contact time needed 

is 10 minutes. Allow to air dry but 

rinse waterers and feeders with 

potable water before use.

 Wear protective gloves and 

eye/face protection. Use only in a 

well-ventilated area. Avoid 

breathing dust. Wash hands 

thoroughly after handling. Wear 

protective clothing to avoid contact 

with skin. Store in original container 

protected from direct sunlight in a 

dry, cool and well-ventilated area, 

away from incompatible materials 

and food and drink. 

 Dispose of contents and container in 

accordance with all local, regional, national 

and international regulations.

 Click here for information on what to do if 

you have accidental exposure.

Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxides, e.g. RescueTM 

 RescueTM (companion animals): For the 

concentrate, dilute 8 ounces per 1 gallon 

water, or 2 ounces per 1 quart (32 ounces) 

water to achieve a 1:16 dilution. Apply until 

surface is wet and allow 5 minutes contact 

time, then wipe surfaces and let air dry. 

Contact time recommended is for nonporous surfaces. A ready to use spray 

formula is also available, as is a farm 

animal product (concentrate) by the same 

company called InterventionTM.

 Wear nitrile, silicon or rubber gloves and 

eye protection, general ventilation is 

adequate.

Follow all label instructions for use and 

safety: 

• https://www.viroxfarmanimal.com/resources

/reference-sheets

• https://rescuedisinfectants.com/productinfo/

 Click here for information on what to do if 

you have accidental exposure.
United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

References

 Spickler, A.R. Rabbit Hemorrhagic 

Disease. 2003 (last updated June 

2020). At 

http://cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/fac

tsheets.php

 World Organisation for Animal Health 

Technical Disease Card. Rabbit 

haemorrhagic disease. Last updated 

Feb 2009. At 

https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng

/Animal_Health_in_the_World/docs/pdf

/Disease_cards/RHD.pdf

 Eleraky, N.Z., Potgieter, L., N.D., 

Kennedy, M.A. Virucidal efficacy of four 

new disinfectants. 2002. J Am Anim 

Hosp Assoc 38(3): 231-4.

 Sanekata, T., et al. Evaluation of the 

antiviral activity of chlorine dioxide and 

sodium hypochlorite against feline 

calicivirus, human influenza virus, 

measles virus, canine distemper virus, 

human herpesvirus, human 

adenovirus, canine adenovirus and 

canine parvovirus. 2010. Biocontrol Sci 

15: 45-49. 

 Solomon, E.B. et al. Comparative 

susceptibilities of hepatitis A virus, 

feline calicivirus, bactiophage MS2 and 

bacteriophage ΦX-174 to inactivation 

by quaternary ammonium and 

oxidative disinfectants. 2009. Int J 

Antimicrob Agents 33: 287-294.

 Clorox Bleach Master Labels - Clorox 

Bleach 6% 5813-114 

https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem

_se arch/ppls/005813-00114-

20181030.pdf Clorox 8.25% sodium 

hypochlorite, EPA reg. no. 5813-100 

https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem

_se arch/ppls/005813-00100-

20171208.pdf

 Virkon S Master Label - Virkon S EPA 

reg. no. 39967-137 

https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem

_search/ppls/005813-00114-

20181030.pdf

 RescueTM Concentrate Master Label – EPA 

reg. no. 74559-4 

https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_searc

h/ppls/039967-00137-20191011.pdf

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nor warrants the standard of any product mentioned. 

Product names are mentioned solely to report factually 

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